So maybe the sushi didn’t come to me quite like this picture shows, but I love Minori anyway.

Last Saturday I took a date to Minori, which is located on Robertson, just above Pico, in Los Angeles. We arrived around 8 p.m. The sushi bar was full, but there were two open tables at the time.

Here’s what I love about Minori: First, it’s kind of a hole in the wall. I’m not saying it doesn’t get busy, but it is mostly populated by local folks who know the lay of the land. Second, Minori consistently has great specials. I recommend any special that they have that involves tempura. Their tempura is always delicious. I had the blue crab hand roll special. It’s on the menu most of the time when I go. If you haven’t tried blue crab, you are really missing out. Very light. Very fresh. Did I just do a Summer’s Eve commercial? Third, the price is always right for a cheap asshole like myself. We ordered 3 cut rolls, two hand rolls, and a large sake, and the total with tip was only $55. There aren’t a lot of restaurants in LA where you can pull that off, let alone sushi spots.

Here’s what I don’t like about Minori: The service usually sucks. The waiters are inattentive, often missing portions of the order, and rarely stop by to see if you need anything. So, make sure you order everything you want right off the bat because they ain’t comin’ back. Also, the place is sometimes dirty. Last time I went, there was some debris, which looked like straw wrappers, all over the floor. In addition, sometimes they are understaffed in terms of sushi chefs. End result…it takes forever to get your food. Finally, the parking sucks. Period. Hope for metered parking on Robertson or Pico after you don’t have to feed the meters at night.